The full story...

Zygier's arrest a result of suspected links to ASIO

TONY EASTLEY: There have been more revelations about the arrest of the man known as prisoner X, suspected Mossad agent Ben Zygier.

The ABC's Foreign Correspondent program has revealed his Mossad handlers arrested him believing he'd been leaking information to the Australian spy agency ASIO.

An Israeli parliamentary committee has now announced an investigation.

The story of the young Australian father of two who died in a high-tech Tel Aviv prison has disturbed many Israelis and members of the Jewish diaspora.

Lexi Metherell reports.

LEXI METHERELL: Israeli security services have gone to extreme lengths to cover up the case of Ben Zygier and details are very sketchy.

But journalist Trevor Bormann, who revealed Mr Zygier's identity on Foreign Correspondent last week, has now uncovered more information about the case. He's reported that Mr Zygier was arrested by Mossad spymasters in the belief that he was spilling information about top secret Mossad operations to officers at the Australian spy agency, ASIO.

That includes information about a highly confidential major mission in Italy that had been years in the making.

It's been reported that Mr Zygier had attracted the attention of ASIO because he'd changed his name several times, but it isn't known who initiated the contact - him or ASIO.

It's believed the parties were in contact when Mr Zygier had taken one of his frequent trips back to Australia from Israel. And there's more detail about the operations he was involved in.

Writing on the ABC's website, Trevor Bormann says he understands that along with two other dual Australian-Israeli citizens, Ben Zygier had set up a communications company in Europe for Mossad which exported electronic components to the Middle East, including Iran.

Many prominent members of the Australian Jewish community are declining to discuss the disturbing case.

Ben Zygier's Uncle is musician Willy Zygier. He's appeared on ABC News 24 with his partner, Deborah Conway to talk about their latest album. He has spoken about the tragedy, which he says the family is still struggling to come to terms with.

WILLY ZYGIER: It's a terrible tragedy, so it's very difficult, extremely difficult - and also doing this, sadly, selling our music at the same time as this is all out in the public sphere is also slightly uncomfortable I'd have to say.

MICHAEL ROWLAND: As a family member, would you like answers? Would you like to hear more of the story if there is indeed a story here?

WILLY ZYGIER: Ah... I'd prefer not to comment, really.

LEXI METHERELL: Allison Kaplan Sommer is a columnist with the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. She says the case has raised difficult and painful issues for native-born Israelis and Jews abroad.

ALLISON KAPLAN SOMMER: The whole affair has caused a lot of damage and pain on both sides of the ocean, I think, also in Israel and also in Australia. And a lot of people are struggling with many- a variety of aspects of the implications of both of what happened to him and the process by which it was revealed.

LEXI METHERELL: So you've suggested that Zionism itself could suffer as a result of this case. Do you think that people in the diaspora around the world will question their loyalty to Israel as a result of this matter?

ALLISON KAPLAN SOMMER: I don't know if they would question their loyalty to Israel but whereas they may have... Zionism, if you define Zionism not as supporting Israel, if you define Zionism in its traditional form as saying that it's good for a Jewish person to move to a Jewish state and be part of life in the Jewish state, someone who feels loyal to and close to their native home, Australia and Israel, who may have in the past not viewed it as a conflict, can make Aliyah, can emigrate to Israel, might as a result of this maybe think twice about the implications of doing so and that's a shame, I think.

From the Archives

Around 500 Indigenous people fought in the First World War, and as many as 5,000 in the second. But many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander diggers who made it home received little or no recognition for their contribution. On Anzac Day, 2007, the first parade to commemorate their efforts and bravery was held in Sydney. Listen to our report from that day by Lindy Kerin.